Brief bio of Bjorn Turmann

Bjorn Turmann is originally from Vancouver, Canada where he went to Lord Byng High School and the University of British Columbia. As he says: “getting to Singapore in 1993 put me on the path to changing my life forever”. While in Canada he supported himself and paid his way through school working a variety of jobs including: waiter (at various restaurants and at the famous bar,“The Cecil”), bartender, security guard (night watch at a hospital), film and television extra, Vancouver School Board summer labourer, gardener, telemarketing pest for a big bank, money counter for a big bank (one million one, one million two...), marketing and public relations consultant and UBC soccer school instructor (Bjorn’s soccer/football career included a (very) brief attempt at playing for German Bundesliga side VFL Bochum in 1988 as well as short stints in the Singapore semi-pro league with Marine Castle and Tiong Bahru FC in 1993-4). Once he reached Asia he worked with and for some of the world’s biggest brands including Microsoft, Ogilvy and Mather, Nokia, Motorola, Blockbuster and McAfee. His first job in Singapore was with the WyWy Group. Their Red Hill office location plays an important role in The Karaoke World of Cortous Haire.

Bjorn has written, produced and directed three short films and one documentary which have been screened at festivals in Australia and Asia (www.monsoonseason.com). His films are recognized for their original and sometimes very complex story lines as well as for thought provoking shot selection. Bjorn is also currently writing and developing an animated feature film which he hopes to produce in Singapore. For information about this project, please contact him directly.

Bjorn is internationally recognized for his public speaking and presentation skills. In 2005 he developed a public speaking workshop entitled “Discovering the Speaker in You”. To date he has taught executives, teachers, students, artists and entrepreneurs from close to twenty different countries on how to use their “natural style more effectively when speaking to a group”. Using a communications concept called Emotionics that he co-developed with Alex Moore, Bjorn’s public speaking classes are fast becoming known for their “human approach to public speaking” (www.emotionics.com).